


as long as stars are above you

by synchronicities



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Drabble Collection, F/M, POV Outsider, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2019-03-15 02:37:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13603779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/synchronicities/pseuds/synchronicities
Summary: Have you heard? A Xingese princess is giving up her title to marry some Amestrian commoner!–- Some testimonials.





	as long as stars are above you

**Author's Note:**

> does anyone still write fma fic in the year of our lord 2018? apparently, me, since the whole thing was put up on netflix last month. title from ellie goulding's cover of 'how long will i love you', because i'm a sucker.
> 
> this features three (3) original characters, but it's also just a brief bit on each character's opinion, so bear with it please? :)

**YUE YAO**

**EMPRESS DOWAGER OF XING**

 

Yes, the rumors are true – that Chang girl is abandoning her clan to live as a peasant in the middle of nowhere.

Harsh, you say? What are you, my son?

No, I’m not going to deny it – Ling agreed to the marriage, he’s got a soft spot for the girl, gods know why. The Chang clan’s done nothing but mooch off the Yao clan’s success since Ling became Emperor. Perhaps it’s for the best that she’s out of our sights, and we can stomp that pesky clan underfoot – now, don’t give me that look. Clan politics, an old habit.

And despite his low and apparently illegitimate birth, the fiancé is a delightful boy. He is a handsome alchemist of some renown and has visited the Royal Palace a few times, always to learn. As far as commoners go, May Chang could certainly do worse.

 _No_ , we are certainly not having the wedding in the Royal Palace. Ling ignores my opinions a great deal, but I will not allow _that._

* * *

**LAN FAN**

**IMPERIAL GUARDSWOMAN**

 

I wanted to be against the marriage. I told his Highness as much – it’s unprecedented, a princess leaving the royal family and move to another country entirely. She will be mocked at best and derided at worst for abandoning her clan and her duty to the country.

What duty, you ask? Those who lose the fight to become rulers of Xing return to lead their clans. May is lucky she has cousins to succeed her, otherwise the marriage would never have been allowed. The Changs could fall to ruin.

But – she has already done her duty to her family, and more. May spent some years helping train the royal alkahestrists – it was something she and His Highness had agreed upon in the past, to increase the usage of alchemy and alkahestry throughout the country. In return His Highness has been generous, has given her clan more land and influence and has opened more trading routes. They will be fine, with the right guidance.

So May has done her duty, and she is getting married…

Those in the South, they have a concept they call _karma_ – our intent and actions influence our future. May and Alphonse have both done much good, does that mean she can now afford to shirk from her title and live happily ever after in a quiet Amestrian town? I do not know. Family watchdogs are not trained to question our lifelong duties to the lords. But it is worth pondering, and I know I am happy for them.

Yes, she may be hurt by the criticisms, and I have no doubt Alphonse will try to shield her from the worst of it, but – they are both good people. If they do not deserve happiness, who does?

* * *

**HAN**

**CHANG FAMILY RETAINER**

 

Lady May used to write us while she was in Amestris. and there were always _Elric this, Elric that_ – I’m not surprised that she wound up engaged to one of them! It’s _so_ romantic, don’t you think – they fought together, and learned together, and now they’re going to get married!

The clan elders aren’t _displeased_ , but they aren’t _delighted_ either – the laws of our land mean May cannot marry him without giving up her title, and she was adamant about it, so they had to agree. There are already whispers among the palace servants that I cannot bear to repeat to her – that she is ungrateful, a blood traitor, undeserving of her title anyway. I can see how one may come to that opinion, but I cannot help but disagree.

You see, Lady May and I are very close in age, and I’ve been privy to all her secrets since we were children. Imagine my surprise when she came back from Amestris; she was a changed person! She did a lot for our clan, so as someone bound to serve their bloodline, so no matter what anyone says I can only offer amazement and gratitude. Am I said that she’ll be leaving us? Absolutely. But I’ve always believed that my loyalties lie in what will give her the greatest joy, and if this marriage gives her that, then who am I to complain?

* * *

**LIAN CHANG**

**CHANG WIFE TO THE FORMER EMPEROR**

I was unsurprised, to tell you the truth. My daughter has always been more headstrong and independent than her age would suggest. When my late husband announced his challenge, she only barely informed us and the next thing we knew, she was halfway across the desert! She technically failed, I suppose, but from what she tells me and what I hear, she gained much more than a throne from her travels. Honestly, I was relieved – I did not want her to be Empress; I feared the court would stifle her, hornet’s nest that it is. But she surprised all of us by making herself useful to Ling Yao in the years following his ascension to the position of Emperor. She has done much good for our clan in the process, and we are proud of her. In my eyes, she can do whatever she wants now.

And, why – she’s wanted to marry Alphonse since she was twelve. I was worried too; I thought her childish infatuation would color her views of him as they grew older. But it seems I have been proven wrong. I have met her husband-to-be, and he’s an upstanding young man. Very well-mannered and polite. I have no worries for her as a clan elder.

But as a mother, I can’t help but worry. Have I prepared her enough? Have I taught her well? Will she have problems all the way across the desert, and she can’t turn to me for answers? Ah, I have no doubt she can find her way, but I do wish I could be there for her.

Besides, she is lucky, in a way. Xingese princesses, no matter how insignificant, rarely get to choose their husbands. It is always governors, diplomats, bannermen, foreign dignitaries. Money, power, war, or peace over love. Did you think I chose to be with May’s father?

But with every daughter, we birth our future, and perhaps with every generation, it gets a bit easier. We can only trust that that will continue to be the case.

* * *

**LING YAO**

**82 ND EMPEROR OF XING**

You’re asking me why I agreed to the marriage? Who are you, my mother?

Come now, you know why. And if I hadn’t agreed to it, I think she would have gone and married him anyway. Also, I think Edward would have personally gotten on a camel and beat my head into the ground if I said no.

The reason I told my mother and the public is this. For one, I have nineteen half-sisters. If the law saying women could not inherit the throne had not been overturned, they would all be betrothed by age sixteen. And after my father became Emperor, he married off his unwed sisters for politically advantageous matches anyway. It’s the twentieth century, my friends. Critics will call it a disregard for tradition or disrespectful to the Royal Family, but I like to see it as a step towards a more progressive overall system.

Now, you can chime in with, ‘they’re well-matched’ or ‘they complement each somehow.’ That is certainly true. But it’s far simpler than that – they make each other happy. I’ve known that for years. And giving my blessing as a liege lord, a brother, a friend, was perhaps the easiest thing I could have done to facilitate that. Happiness is not something easily affordable to us rulers, you see.

…Now that’s something interesting! Maybe in the future, I’ll hand the throne over to whoever can bring me the secret to happiness. What a thought, huh?

* * *

**TIM MARCOH**

**DOCTOR (RETIRED), GEFELL VILLAGE**

Engaged, are they? Now, that’s pleasant to hear. They’re such good kids.

What I think of the union? I’m…unambiguously hopeful. You know, I met them in a time of crisis – _you_ should know. And you know, they were so brave and promising, even though I was a doddering old man for most of it. And we made it out, and they were all the brighter for it. It made me think that despite the mess we adults have made of the world, the spirit and resolve of the youth can build something out of it.

And they don’t forget, either. Alphonse dropped by some months ago and we caught up – he’s a bright boy who’ll continue to do remarkable things. The way he talked about his travels and of May…it just lit up this old ugly face, now. We’re in good hands, I think.

Now, I don’t know if I can make the trip down for the wedding. I’m getting on in years, and the place is quite far away…I will send them my well-wishes regardless. I’m very happy for them.

* * *

**ROY MUSTANG**

**FUHRER, AMESTRIS MILITARY**

Well, this is going to be the most oddly-attended wedding in recent history, isn’t it? A handful of Xingese nobles, Amestris military, a chimera or three, and whatever other misfits the Elrics have picked up on their travels. What a crew.

What do you mean – of course I’m going. I haven’t seen those brothers in a while – _no_ , I’m _not_ their father, stop laughing.

I don’t even think about this as a diplomatic match. This will in no way affect our relations with Xing; as has been much-publicized, May is surrendering her title and her weak claim to the throne to move to Amestris. I prefer to think that I won’t be attending as Fuhrer, either – but as Roy Mustang, someone I hope they can continue to trust.

Rather, let us look at this marriage as what it is: two promising young people who have known each other for years, and have seen the best and worst of each other. And further, we can see this union as emblematic of the future we would like to build – two people from radically different walks of life bound by things we cannot see, pushing each other upwards and creating something unique together.

What are you – Am I bringing Captain Hawkeye as my _date?_ Are you daft?

* * *

**ALEX LOUIS ARMSTRONG**

**LIEUTENANT COLONEL, AMESTRIS MILITARY, CENTRAL CITY**

_OOOOOOOHOHOHO, ALPHONSE! AND LITTLE MAY!_

My beloved sister here and I got the news at the same time – Olivier is not one for weepy sentiments, but fortunately, _I HAVE ENOUGH TEARS FOR BOTH OF US_! I was _SINCERELY ELATED_ – I have known Alphonse since he was very young, you see, and you could say I love him as a son or brother, or as a little dog I found on the road one day! 

May, I do not know as well, but she’s a proper, well-mannered, intelligent girl… I can see that she makes him _VERY HAPPY! A PERFECT COUPLE!_

 _Ack! Sister,_ I will put my shirt back on, please put your sword down…

…Ahem. From the Armstrong family, we give our sincerest congratulations to the two of them. May they have all the happiness they have already had and more.

* * *

**IZUMI CURTIS**

**HOUSEWIFE, DUBLITH CITY**

Ahh, those kids. They always manage to surprise me, you know? But it’s a different kind of surprise this time. You look once, and they’re preteen twerps, then you blink and one of them suddenly has two kids of his own, the other’s about to get hitched. Time flies.

Am I surprised that Al is marrying May? A bit – you see, Ed and Winry were the obvious ones; I knew _something_ would happen there the second I first saw them in a room together. But I thought the distance might drive Al and May away. Apparently, I was wrong, and it’s a pleasant kind of wrong. Sig laughed at me, he said he believed in them from the beginning.

…Were you expecting me to clap and say _that’s marriage_ like some wizened old hag? Hah! Well, maybe you’re right and it is. That’s what you asked me for, right? Sig and I have been married a long time, and we’re on the same page for the most part. But sometimes we disagree, and sometimes we drive each other nuts. We once tore up the house during a fight. But the important thing is we rebuilt it together.

What, of course it didn’t take long. Who do you think you’re talking to?

I’m just a housewife! I’m not the kind of person who can see how long a marriage can last, and it’s not in my nature to just wish them good luck for the rest of their lives and leave it at that. But they’re alchemists, they’ll understand – a good union needs a solid foundation, with a material with the right balance of rigidity and flexibility. It’s a push and pull, and it’s not always going to be equivalent exchange, but as long as your foundations hold, whatever freaky transmutation you’ve created will stand.

That’s a good one! I should write that down!

* * *

  **WINRY ROCKBELL-ELRIC**

**MECHANIC, RESEMBOOL**

I’ve known Al my entire life; I’ve been around him long enough to know that what he and May have is something really special. I think they’re fundamentally compatible people – they’re affectionate with each other, and they have worked and sacrificed a lot for each other, and they trust each other a great deal, but beneath all that, they just _work well together_. Like two parts of a well-oiled machine. If a relationship were an automail arm, then love would be what keeps it moving and working, right?

Me? Oh, I never wanted for love growing up, even after my parents died – it was all around. My grandmother, our dog, the Elrics. There was schoolwork, there was automail, and…there’s the feeling of walking home after a long day, you know? Resembool’s changed a lot since Ed and I were children, but some things just stay the same. I like to think Ed and I have found our peace here. I hope May and Al will too, here or somewhere else.

…Fitting in? Oh, that won’t be a problem, I think. I was a little worried about it myself – she’s a _princess from Xing_ , after all, but…she’s like a sister to me now, and Yuri and Nina already love May a lot. Nina’s not even two, but she can count in Xingese thanks to her, isn’t that adorable? I’m sure things will work out.

Besides, they know that no matter what, there’s always room enough at our table for two more. There's a lot of love to go around.

* * *

**EDWARD ELRIC**

**SCHOOLTEACHER, RESEMBOOL**

Hah! When we were kids, Al and I used to fight over who’d get to marry Winry. He won those fights, but I married her, so I figured he’d have to get hitched eventually. And to May, too! Well, I suppose it was inevitable. It’s a good thing that good-for-nothing Ling said yes, otherwise I’d be in a Xingese prison for attempted assassination by now.

Advice to offer? Nah, I don’t think I’ll be much help – Al’s much smarter and more levelheaded than me, and he’s had a few years to watch all my blunders, I’m sure he’ll do fine! More than anything, I just want him – them – to be happy; if anyone deserves it, it’s my brother. Besides, I used to be an alchemist, in case you forgot, so I have a pretty good feeling when something will work out. If anyone can handle my pipsqueak of a brother, it’s definitely May! I’m sure they’ll have a really interesting marriage, and I can’t wait to see how it’ll turn out.

But I’m sure everyone else said that too, huh? To be honest, I don’t know what else to say. Al and I – we’ve been through so much together. I know him better than the back of my hand, and I know May makes him happy. As a brother, I’ve nothing but confidence towards this marriage! Things will be fine, as long as they steel their hearts and move forward together. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

A-hem. I don't wanna say much more! I gotta leave the good stuff for the best man speech, you know. Although you gotta remind me to ask Al how he proposed – he laughed at me so hard after I told him how I proposed to Winry…

_…Darius! Zampano! You’re not going to put that in the final cut, are you? Hey!_

 

**Author's Note:**

> i will admit that (a) this was a writing exercise and (b) i don't really ship this so much, so it was challenging! hope you liked it, leave a comment if you do <3


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